Congress plans to take protests from Parliament to streets

Congress leaders huddle up in Delhi to chalk out strategy for cornering BJP on different issues

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Supriya Bhardwaj

New Delhi

August 5, 2018

UPDATED: August 5, 2018 06:58 IST

Congress accused BJP of using the National Register of Citizens as a divisive and emotional tool for misleading people. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Mail Today)

HIGHLIGHTS

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The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday met for the second time within a fortnight to discuss the party's strategy to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party on various issues.

Headed by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, CWC--the highest decision making body of the party--met on Saturday to chalk out a strategy to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime on various issues by building up an 'andolan' (protest) from sansad (Parliament) to sadak (street).

The CWC also discussed issues surrounding the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

Speaking about the meeting, Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot said important issues relating to NRC's second draft list in Assam, corruption by Modi government and its failure on economy were discussed in the CWC.

"We also discussed the challenges before the party and the nation in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. CWC will now meet once every month," Gehlot said.

Head of Congress's communication department, Randeep Singh Surjewala said the CWC deliberated on five major issues: NRC process in Assam, scams of Modi government (including Rafale deal and bank frauds), failing economy, rampant unemployment and agrarian distress.

On the Assam NRC issue, which is already witnessing heated exchanges between the BJP and the Opposition, Surjewala said, "CWC noted with grave concern the deliberate and diabolic agenda of the BJP to play politics and use NRC as a divisive and emotional tool for misleading the people."

"This is being done to deflect nation's attention from the colossal failures, mega scams like Rafale, bank frauds and others, and betrayal by the Modi government on various promises. CWC has called upon the Congress leaders and workers, both in Assam and in rest of the country, to expose the acts of omission and commission being committed by the Modi government and not allow the government to escape accountability."

Rafale issue along with state of banking sector was also discussed at length in the CWC, which lasted for four hours, he said.

Surjewala said, "The CWC expressed shock and concern on the Rafale scam and the Operation Cover-up initiated by the Modi government. Stark truth is that while the Congress-led UPA was purchasing Rafale aircraft for Rs 526 crore, the Modi government proceeded to buy the same Aircraft for Rs 1,670 crore i.e. a jump of over 300 per cent."

Congress sources said the is also working on the possibilities of forging coalitions with opposition parties in the states.

"The Opposition's prime-ministerial candidate will be declared after election. Rahul ji will contest from Amethi. Coalition with Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party is almost in the final stage in Uttar Pradesh. Whereas, in assembly polls of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the Congress will not project anyone as its CM face," sources said.